So I guess Sofia Vergara & Amy Poehler can’t be considered funny? | Source: WENN.com

Did you guys know that only “ugly” girls can be considered funny? Attractive women have no place in comedy – they haven’t suffered enough to be able to make someone laugh! Oh, wait, you didn’t know that? That sounds totally ridiculous, sexist and unbelievable? Yeah, I thought so too.

But that’s pretty much exactly what Deadline.com Editor-in-chief Nikki Finke said, and I’m totally disgusted. Check out her quote, which is about Julie Bowen winning Outstanding Supporting Actress at the 2012 Emmy Awards for her hysterical role as Claire in Modern Family:

“Listen-up, Hollywood: Beautiful actresses are not funny. They don’t know how to do comedy. (As Bowen demonstrated with her acceptance speech that repeated the phrase ‘nipple covers’ 3 dozen times. To zero laughter.) Only women who grew up ugly and stayed ugly, or through plastic surgery became beautiful, can pull off sitcoms or standups. Bowen isn’t a comedienne just like Brooke Shields wasn’t and a zillion more. Because it’s all about emotional pain and humiliation and rising above both by making people laugh with you instead of at you. So stop casting beautiful actresses when you should be giving ugly women a chance. (Tina Fey always points out she looked like a troglodyte when she was younger.) This also applies to handsome men, by the way. Now argue amongst yourselves.”

Seriously?! I mean, come on! I literally sat there and stared at my computer screen, completely dumbfounded, after I read that. I can’t believe someone wrote this and genuinely thought it was true.

I could go on forever listing beautiful women who are also incredibly funny – Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, Emma Stone, Chelsea Handler, Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey, Aubrey Plaza, Sofia Vergara, Mindy Kaling, Jennifer Aniston and so many more. These ladies have proven many, many times that they’re hilarious and each of them are gorgeous in their own way.

Who cares what she looks like? She’s still hilarious! | Source: WENN.com

But that’s not even the whole point. This is so sexist! Why is a women’s appearance so important? I don’t think anyone would ever say that only ugly guys can be funny. Even though Nikki throws that in at the end, it’s so obviously half-hearted that I seriously doubt she actually believes that. She was all for Max Greenfield winning for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (saying, “Oh crap, I can’t believe how Max Greenfield (“Schmidt”) from New Girl was robbed!”), and Max is a total hottie. So basically, guys can be hot and funny, but girls can’t?

More importantly, what does physical appearance have to do with someone’s personality or sense of humor? Going through bullying or hard times doesn’t automatically mean a person is funny or more able to laugh at themselves. That’s an incredibly ignorant statement, and even more ignorant is assuming that a “beautiful” woman doesn’t go through bad things herself. Just because someone is conventionally pretty by Hollywood standards doesn’t mean that they couldn’t have had just as hard of a life as someone who might be considered “ugly”.

In the end, this kind of statement just makes me sad, especially because it was said by a woman. I find it insane that it’s still hard for the media to take women seriously as comedians. It’s so sexist and unfair to assume that just because you don’t have a penis you can’t be funny. And it’s so ridiculous to state that being “ugly” is a prerequisite for being funny. If you’re funny, you’re funny. It shouldn’t matter what you look like, what you’re wearing or how much plastic surgery you’ve had. Let’s all stop focusing on women’s appearances so much, because all it does is make you look ignorant, and frankly, pathetic.

What do you think about Nikki Finke’s statement? Do you agree or disagree? Does a person’s appearance really have to do with their personality? Tell us what you think in the comments!

Your complete guide to being funny (being ugly is not required)

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